Highland Falls new trustee challenging mayor

HIGHLAND FALLS — Village voters will have a clear choice for mayor when they go to the polls March 19:

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By MICHAEL RANDALL

recordonline.com

By MICHAEL RANDALL

Posted Mar. 8, 2013 at 2:00 AM

By MICHAEL RANDALL
Posted Mar. 8, 2013 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

HIGHLAND FALLS — Village voters will have a clear choice for mayor when they go to the polls March 19:

Stick with what they have and what they know, or go for change and put a new person in the office.

In the former category is Mayor Joe D'Onofrio, who's about to complete his fifth term and 20th year as the mayor. He says he's running again because of "my love for this community."

In the latter category is Patrick Flynn, who seemed to come out of nowhere a year ago when he won a trustee seat on the Village Board as a write-in candidate. His biggest goal if elected is to get more people involved in the community.

Seeking trustee seats are James DiSalvo, an incumbent, and William Stroepel, Patrick Kelly and Robert Mellon. Joseph McCormick, the other incumbent trustee, isn't seeking re-election.

"I think a change in management would do a lot of good," said Flynn of his campaign.

Noting a state comptroller's audit last year that put the village's long-term debt at about $8 million, Flynn said, "very few people knew we were in such debt." If elected, he said he will call for "one or two more audits" to look at other parts of the village's finances not covered by the previous one.

Flynn said about half the village's streets need resurfacing, and there are problems underneath: sewage lines haven't been replaced in 30 years and six or seven have collapsed.

D'Onofrio said the village infrastructure is being addressed. He noted he's gotten about $11 million in grants during his time in office that has been used for things like the water and wastewater treatment plants, and for road reconstruction.

As for the audit itself, he said overall it was "not a bad report," as no money was found to be missing or improperly allocated.

D'Onofrio said one thing he'll do if re-elected is pursue talks he's initiated about possibly annexing some federal lands currently part of the West Point military reservation for economic development purposes, because "the only way we can better ourselves is with a larger tax base."

Voting will be from noon to 9 p.m. March 19 in the gym at Sacred Heart of Jesus School on Main Street.